Positive Education

Positive Education

At Newcastle Grammar School we have deliberately chosen Positive Education. Our approach places wellbeing firmly at the heart of everything we do and brings together best practice teaching and learning with learning the skills and mindsets to flourish. Central to the lens through which we see the Positive Education experience are strengths. The language of strengths permeates our entire school community and we know that Character Strengths are the Pathway to PERMA. 

Positive Education at Newcastle Grammar School offers a range of empirically validated approaches from the field of positive psychology which are delivered through interventions, programs and practices to promote the wellbeing of our students, staff and wider community. As a Visible Wellbeing Partner School, we appreciate the importance of tuning in to wellbeing and making something that is invisible seen, heard and felt. In addition to promoting the positive psychology principles of growth mindset, gratitude, resilience, grit, deliberate practice, flow and mindfulness we also believe in the importance of wellbeing literacy as a general capability.

Together, we can all RISE to be the best we can be.

Visible Wellbeing

Visible Wellbeing

Visible Wellbeing is a whole school evidence-based approach to developing and sustaining student, staff and community wellbeing. Under the guidance of Professor Lea Waters PhD, University of Melbourne, the Visible Wellbeing approach offers a language, lens and framework for flourishing.

 

 

 

Artist’s Statement: JASMIN ZHOU (Year 12 2019) 

At Newcastle Grammar School we have decided to use the motif of a kaleidoscope to symbolise our Visible Wellbeing journey. The kaleidoscope captures the visible, audible, and tangible message of SEE, HEAR, FEEL by representing wellbeing as a myriad of delicately arranged coloured surfaces from which light can bounce and an infinity of patterns is created. 

Part of the journey of Visible Wellbeing is to recognise the diversity of experiences, visions and colours that each person offers and to also embrace our own; and like the turns that we take in life, each twist of the kaleidoscope produces an image that is powerful, beautiful and unique. 

The kaleidoscope offers a wellbeing lens that takes something that exists inside of us that can’t be seen and brilliantly radiates it to the world. The aim is to encourage everyone to tune in to their own wellbeing and make it seen, heard and felt while also engaging in a shared human experience and appreciating the wellbeing of others. 

It has been my honour to harness my strengths in the conceptualisation of Visible Wellbeing through the creative process for Newcastle Grammar School and I wish everyone well in their own journeys towards making wellbeing visible.

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Character Strengths

Character Strengths

We all have strengths. 

Strengths are the positive qualities and attributes that we find energising, choose often and perform well. Strengths research asks the questions; 

What is right with you? 

Who are you at your best? 

What would change if you brought your best self to each situation? 

Knowing our signature strengths and skillfully applying them can have a significant positive impact on our lives. Research indicates that using our signature strengths can help us buffer against, manage and overcome challenges, improve our  relationships and enhance our wellbeing.

Through the Positive Education programme at Newcastle Grammar School, all students will be given the opportunity to discover their signature strengths from the 24 character strengths through the Values in Action (VIA) Institute.

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2023 School Captains 

 

Pre-School
Park Campus
Hill Campus
Academic Success
Student Wellbeing
Curriculum
Co-Curricular
Facilities
OOSH
Spiritual Development
Service Learning
Student Centred Learning
P
E
R
M
A
R
PERMAR
P: Positive Emotions
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
E: Engagement
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
R: Relationships
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
M: Meaning & Purpose
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
A: Accomplishment
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
R: Resilience
Habits of Mind
Habits of Wellbeing
P: Positive Emotions — Habits of Mind

Finding humour.

Responding with awe and wonderment.

P: Positive Emotions — Habits of Wellbeing

Broaden and Build.

Positivity (Losada) ratio.

Expressing joy, gratitude, hope and inspiration.

E: Engagement — Habits of Mind

Applying past knowledge to new situations.

Gathering data through all the senses.

Thinking and communicating with precision and purpose.

E: Engagement — Habits of Wellbeing

Deliberate Practice.

Flow.

Experiences of interest, curiosity, absorption and passion.

 

R: Relationships — Habits of Mind

Listening to others with Understanding and Empathy.

Thinking interdependently.

R: Relationships — Habits of Wellbeing

Active-constructive responding.

Building and maintaining positive and productive relationships.

Embracing diversity.

M: Meaning & Purpose — Habits of Mind

Metacognition - Thinking about my thinking.

Questioning and posing problems.

Creating, Imagining and Innovating.

M: Meaning & Purpose — Habits of Wellbeing

Character Strengths and Signature Strengths.

Goal setting - WOOP.

Feeling Good and Doing Good.

A: Accomplishment — Habits of Mind

Persisting

Thinking Flexibly

Striving for Accuracy

A: Accomplishment — Habits of Wellbeing

Grit - Passion and Perseverance for long term goals.

Deliberate Practice.

Developing a Growth Mindset.

R: Resilience — Habits of Mind

Taking responsible risks.

Managing impulsivity.

R: Resilience — Habits of Wellbeing

Developing an Optimistic Explanatory Style.

Developing and experiencing mindfulness.